Joking aside, the true master of Spiral Float City was about to throw himself into Fu Lingchuan’s embrace, and she certainly wasn’t going to put herself in an uncomfortable position at this moment.
Indeed, before Fu Lingchuan could act, the Crab Spirit immobilized over a dozen guards while asking: “How can I become a national treasure?”
“The most important step is to proclaim the mandate to heaven,” Fu Lingchuan said solemnly. “The southern and northern continents are filled with small countries, but only a few are truly recognized by the Way of Heaven—these few have withstood the test of time and remain unshaken. Only by receiving heaven’s mandate can one continuously generate elemental power. For you to become a national treasure, you must first gain the acknowledgment of the Way of Heaven.”
Hiding by the door, Feng Miaojun immediately understood upon hearing these words. So many small countries on the continent were merely flying false flags—essentially, they had just claimed a piece of land and declared themselves kings. They called themselves “countries,” but were merely separatist regimes. Only by obtaining a national treasure could they receive official certification and heaven’s promise.
In other words, the national treasure was heaven’s authorization. With such an item, a country could continuously gather and draw elemental power.
Fu Lingchuan knew that each subsequent step could not afford any error, so his explanation to the Crab Spirit was exceptionally detailed:
“After the heaven-worshipping ceremony begins, the Queen of New Xia must place her hand on the imperial jade seal, recite a prayer of thirty-six thousand characters, then take her blood as ink to stamp the Heavenly Book.” Fu Lingchuan glanced at Princess Changle. “With Princess Changle herself performing this, it will take at most five hours. The shorter the time, the less pressure on us.”
They had come to the mermen’s territory coveting their divine artifact—the mermen were no mere decoration and would certainly do everything to stop them.
The Crab Spirit also looked at Princess Changle and asked in its deep voice: “Why?”
“Though An Xia has fallen, its fortune can persist for ten years without exhaustion. She is the last bloodline of the royal family and, according to heaven’s laws, can inherit An Xia’s fortune. This is not establishing a new country, so the ceremony is much simpler.”
Feng Miaojun understood this to mean that “opening an account” always involved the most complicated procedures. It had been over seven years since An Xia’s destruction, but still within the ten-year limit, so it was called “fortune not exhausted”—there was still a chance for recovery.
But was this “Princess Changle” truly of royal blood? Fu Lingchuan had taken such a risk to obtain Master Claw’s shell as a national treasure—he should have at least seventy percent confidence and shouldn’t make a mistake about such a basic fact.
The Crab Spirit asked the key point: “What must I do?”
“After the Queen of New Xia presents the Heavenly Book to the heavens, you will face the test of sixteen bolts of heavenly lightning. Upon successfully passing through, you will become a national treasure—New Xia’s most important artifact!” Fu Lingchuan spoke with force behind every word. “Master Claw, can you accomplish this?”
Not just any magical artifact qualified to bear a nation’s fortune—the lightning tribulation was heaven’s method of selection. In today’s world of diminishing spiritual energy, finding a divine artifact capable of withstanding heavenly lightning was exceedingly difficult.
Hiding by the door, Feng Miaojun’s pupils contracted suddenly upon hearing “sixteen bolts of heavenly lightning.” The Crab Spirit, however, laughed heartily: “Heavenly tribulation? I’ve gone through countless ones, why would I fear a mere sixteen bolts?” In its lifetime, it had nearly reached the Divine Realm and had indeed experienced countless lightning purifications. Six-tenths of its cultivation was concentrated in its hard shell. Even after its physical body perished, the spiral shell remained intact for over a thousand years—evidence of its incredible durability.
Though its tone was arrogant, Fu Lingchuan believed it and couldn’t help but let out a long sigh of relief: “Then only the final challenge remains.”
“Since we need to perform the heaven-worshipping ceremony, the Queen of New Xia must face the sky directly and cannot hide within the spiral shell,” Fu Lingchuan exhaled deeply. “To complete this outdoors, during these few hours, we must protect her completely.”
Just as he finished speaking, a tremendous “boom” came from outside the main hall, shaking the entire palace as if it might collapse. Feng Miaojun saw dust falling from the tightly closed doors, clearly the result of a powerful strike.
Then a resonant and majestic voice rang out, filled with barely suppressed anger: “Xian, what do you intend to do?!”
Fu Lingchuan was moved: “The Merman King has pursued us so quickly.”
The Crab Spirit laughed: “I’ve grown tired of this place and now wish to dissolve our partnership and leave.” It didn’t rely on vibrations to speak like living creatures; its words resonated directly in people’s hearts, so the Merman King could also receive its message.
The Merman King was furious: “Have you become senile? With only a wisp of soul left, what will you do if your spiral shell is stolen? Don’t be deceived by these petty schemers!” The steward Niu had brought Fu Lingchuan and his companion up, and other servants had seen them along the way. They had reported to the Merman King, so he knew outsiders had entered the hall before the Crab Spirit closed it off.
The Crab Spirit softened its tone: “Don’t worry about me. There’s an island seven hundred miles to the southeast with thousands of caves beneath the sea surface, suitable for your merman race to dwell. After I leave, move your people there.”
The Merman King laughed bitterly in anger: “That’s not Spiral Float Island!” The merman race had spent over a thousand years developing Spiral Float Island into a prosperous place. If they moved to an obscure, isolated island, who would remember Spiral Float Fishing? It was only because of their abundant income that the merman race had stood out among sea races, becoming the wealthiest and most prosperous branch. If the Crab Spirit left, the prosperity of the mermen would lose its foundation.
The Crab Spirit said softly: “Our agreement with the Merman race did not specify a time limit. If I want to leave, I can do so at any time.”
The Merman King was momentarily speechless. Indeed, before the merman race moved to Spiral Float Island, their agreement with the Crab Spirit only stated mutual benefit—the mermen would get a place to live, and the Crab Spirit would receive offerings from the sea race. They would prosper together, but no end date was specified.
No matter how powerful this divine being was in life, it had been dead for over a thousand years. How could a mere remnant soul move a shell more massive than a mountain? The mermen never imagined it could leave.
Just as he was about to speak again, a tremendous “boom” shook the earth like a mountain trembling.
Both parties inside and outside the door were stunned:
Amid their disagreement, the side door of the hall exploded!
The explosion was extremely powerful; even standing in the center of the hall, Fu Lingchuan and Princess Changle could feel the fierce wind on their faces.
Then they saw the Merman King and his formidable guard behind him.
Filled with rage, the tall ruler had turned pale blue all over, making his humanoid face appear ferocious. He held a trident in his hand, and upon seeing Fu Lingchuan and his companion, his eyes narrowed, revealing a fierce light in his vertical pupils: “So it’s you!”
Princess Changle, however, turned her gaze toward the coral grove by the entrance and said angrily: “That maidservant!”
She had felt they had overlooked something, and it turned out to be the maidservant who had argued with the steward Niu for credit! After Fu Lingchuan acted, she had disappeared—presumably gone into hiding.